UAE visit visa holders who overstay after September 11 will be fined
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Visitors or tourists whose visit visas expired after March 1 may have to shell out overstay fines, starting September 11.
An Amer call centre agent said the penalty for overstay is Dh200 for the first day. "The exact fine amount will be calculated by the immigration authorities at the airports. The fines are Dh200 for the first day of overstay, Dh100 each consecutive day, and Dh100 as service fees," said the agent.
However, whether the calculation of overstay fines is from September 11 or from the exact date when the visitor's visa expired is yet to be ascertained. "Only immigration authorities will be able to tell how the amount will be calculated, based on visa information," said the agent.
'No extension announced'
"We have not received any intimations about an extension of visa validity," another agent added.
The UAE's Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) in August announced a one-month extension for visitors whose entry permits expired after March 1. The extension began on August 11 and ended on September 11.
"The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship extends the grace period for holders of expiring entry permits, starting from August 11 for a period of one month, with the aim of enabling them to leave the country with exemption from all fines during this period," the ICA announced earlier in a tweet.
Visit visa holders were urged to 'change status' or 'leave'
On July 10, the UAE had announced that "holders of visit or tourist visas that expired after March 1 must leave the UAE within one month from July 11. That is by August 11".
The UAE Cabinet had issued a decision that cancelled all previously issued resolutions related to the residency of expatriates and validity of visas, entry permits and ID cards. The automatic extension of expired visas and IDs until December this year was withdrawn.
'No rush at travel agencies'
A majority of those staying on visit visa have already availed of extensions, said Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travels. "We had no last-minute applicants. Earlier, between August 8 and 9, the agency saw 5,000 to 6,000 new applications. This month, we had about 595 applications. I'm not sure if those who did not extend have left the country," he said.
Harish Kumar, managing director of Jubilant Group, added: "Unlike last time, we didn't have a lot of last-minute applications. A large segment of our customers are Indians. They have all changed their status and many have also applied for the one-month extensions. We have seen a few last-minute applications from members of the Nigerian community."
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Min. Priyank Kharge to expresses concern over implementation of VB-G Ram G
Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
